Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble Rare Prologue – Story So Far…

Dixie woke up, stretched herself from head to toe and gazed out at the cheery autumn sunshine. Winter didn’t seem to be in any hurry this year, she’d noticed. Not that she was going to complain about it. She enjoyed the fine weather as much as the rest of the Kongs – Donkey and Diddy in particular…
Those two. She smiled to herself. Months after their victory over K. Rool and his hordes, they were still celebrating. Every day they got up whenever they felt like, gathered together a couple of hammocks, some music and all the banana milkshakes they could drink, and took the whole lot deep into the jungle to spend the rest of the day chilling out in one of their favourite spots. Some days, like today, Dixie could think of nothing better to do than invite herself along.

Hopping out of bed, she padded into the morning air, leapt for the nearest vine and swung across to see if Diddy was up and about. She hadn’t really expected him to be, so she was quite surprised to find his room deserted. It was only as she turned to wander back into the luxury of the sun’s rays that she spotted the scribbled note on the table.
It was only a few words, informing her that Diddy and Donkey had hit upon another of their hare-brained ideas and set out immediately to follow it up. This time, they’d decided to go exploring the islands neighbouring the one they called their own. Back tomorrow, the note ended.
Dixie could remember at least three times that the wayward twosome had already tried this plan, never quite managing to make it further than the beach, so it was there that she decided to go looking for them.

When she arrived at the bay, however, nobody was around. A few crabs scuttled sideways along the water’s edge, but they weren’t much help. Deciding that DK and Diddy had either made it off Donkey Kong Island after all or they’d simply gotten sidetracked even sooner than she’d expected, Dixie shrugged and headed back into the jungle.
The sun cruised across the sky, sank towards the west and finally disappeared, but the two apes failed to return. Dixie hoped they were enjoying themselves, wherever they were, as she tucked herself into bed with a yawn.

Morning came again, and another brief swing through the branches confirmed that Diddy was still off on his little expedition – and in spite of the note’s promise, Dixie found herself starting to worry. DK and Diddy made a pretty good team, but they seemed to take delight in getting in way over their heads. As the day crawled on and the jungle sounds faded, she wondered whether she was jumping to conclusions or this really was another of those situations…
Dusk fell, and there was no sign of that familiar crashing in the undergrowth that would signal the pair’s approach. Again Dixie could do nothing but go back to bed and hope that they’d show up the next day.

Of course, they didn’t, and by nightfall the young ape’s concern for the budding explorers was almost unbearable. None of the other Kongs seemed to be around much any more either, so, unable to turn to them for reassurance, Dixie was left to make her own decision. It seemed that there was nothing else for it. Early the next morning, after one last check of the local haunts, she set out to track her friends down.
A brief search for Funky with the intention of borrowing one of his planes turned up nothing, so Dixie resigned herself to a long swim in the general direction of the nearest island.

When she finally dragged herself out of the water onto that distant coastline, she was half-expecting strange new sights and sounds, but not the steady rhythm and strained female voice that came drifting down the shore. Shaking the saltwater from her fur as she followed the music to a dark cavemouth, Dixie was filled with relief to stumble upon a familiar face at last.
“Ooh, hello, Dixie dear,” cooed Wrinkly Kong, turning from her exercise video to face the bedraggled figure. “Come to see old Wrinkly’s new home, have you? That’s nice.”
“New home? But…” Dixie blinked at the old ape in her pink tracksuit as she shuffled over to fetch the teapot. “What about the school?”
“Oh, I gave that up weeks ago, dear. I’m going to use my retirement to do all sorts of things I should have done years ago.”
The young visitor looked around. Apart from the stone walls, the redecorated cave was almost identical to Wrinkly’s hut back in the jungle, complete with the same cosy old furniture.
“It’s a nice cave,” she said uncertainly.
“Yes, isn’t it lovely?” Wrinkly beamed as she poured the tea. “Very useful too – there are tunnels that come in from miles around, so wherever you’re off to, you’ve got no excuse for not popping in every now and then. Where are you off to, anyway?”
Dixie suddenly remembered why she was there. “DK and Diddy,” she said quickly. “Have you seen them?”
“Ooh, yes. Passed by a couple of days ago, they did. Lovely boys,” she confided.
“Did they say where they were going?”
“I don’t think so, dear. What are they up to now?”
“I’ve no idea,” Dixie groaned. Finishing off her tea, she got to her feet. “Well, it’s been very nice to see you, but I’m afraid I’ve got to rush off,” she said.
“I understand, Dixie dear.” Wrinkly smiled. “Call back soon, though, won’t you?”
“I will,” she promised, and decided to leave the way she’d come rather than risk getting lost.

Not too far away from Wrinkly’s cave, Dixie spotted an old wooden shack settled amongst the weeds and boulders. Seizing any opportunity to find another lead on her friends, she crept up, knocked on the door and stepped inside at the prompting of a deep, cheery voice. A bell chimed somewhere within.
“A customer!” bellowed the great shaggy bear that stood behind a wooden counter. “Marvellous! Welcome to Bazaar’s humble emporium. And what can I do for you, my little friend?”
“Actually, I’m looking for a couple of apes that passed this way,” Dixie said hopefully. “I was wondering if you’d seen them…”
“Couple of apes, eh?” The bear rubbed his chin. “I think I’d remember that. Nope, can’t help you there, I’m afraid – but I’ll tell you what, I’m sure one of my brothers could. We’re scattered all over the place, you see, so you’re bound to run into some of the other boys on your travels.”
“Is there anything else I might run into?”
Bazaar’s eyes narrowed. “Well, you want to watch out for those Kremlings,” he said.
“Kremlings? Here?”
“They certainly are. Wasn’t so long ago they started appearing, but they’re already spreading like the ‘flu. Heard they got a new leader too… KAOS or something, they call him.”
Dixie was becoming more worried for DK and Diddy by the minute. “I really need to find my friends,” she fretted. “They could be in trouble.”
“In that case, you might want to pay a visit to our new neighbour over on the east coast,” Bazaar suggested. “He sounds like the kind of fellow who could help out if you’re in a hurry.”
“Thanks,” Dixie said as she made for the door.
“Hey, hold on there! What about all these bargains you’re leaving behind?”
“I’ll come back when I can afford them!” she called over her shoulder before scampering off in search of this mysterious new neighbour.

On her way eastwards she was overtaken by a bizarre golden shape fluttering through the sky. It was obviously a bird of some sort, but not like any Dixie had seen before. For one thing, she couldn’t help thinking that it had looked like… like a…
“Don’t be silly,” she muttered to herself, watching it swoop down to land somewhere across the water in the distance. There were other things to concentrate on, so she forgot about the bird and focused her attention on the cabin squatting at the water’s edge ahead.

“I should have known,” she grinned, squeezing between the shaky wooden doors. “Funky!”
“Hey, girl!” The oil-stained ape turned and looked at Dixie over his shades. “What gives?”
“How long has this been going on?” she asked, gesturing around at the brand new motor boat workshop.
“Not bad, huh?” Funky tossed and caught the spanner he’d been using. “Only just set up here. You gotta expand if you’re gonna succeed, right?”
“I suppose it keeps you out of trouble,” Dixie smiled. “Not like those other two.”
“Whoa. I think I can guess who you mean.”
“I’ll bet you can. Have you seen them?”
“Can’t say I have, Dix. But if you’re goin’ after them, you might want some help.” He turned and whistled. “Hey, kid! Aw, where’ve you gone now?”
Dixie stared as a cupboard door popped open and a bulky pink shape tumbled out amidst the rest of the debris, rolling to a halt on the floor in front of her. The ball unrolled, giggled, and peered curiously at her.
“Meet Kiddy,” Funky sighed. “Your little cousin. Thought it might be fun to bring him along, but maybe I ain’t cut out for babysitting after all. Still,” he said, brightening, “you could use his help, right? Little guy ain’t so little for his age, and I know you’ll look after him.”
Dixie blinked. It didn’t look as if she had much choice – and anyway, there was no resisting the wide-eyed nipper as he sat dribbling happily onto her foot.
“Okay,” she said slowly. “But I don’t know where to look next…”
“No problemo,” Funky replied, snapping his fingers. “Your timing kicks, girl. Just finished it this morning. Come see!”
He zipped onto the wharf that extended from his workshop, Kiddy bouncing along in tow. Dixie’s doubts were eased when she saw the perfectly good motor boat bobbing on the end of its mooring rope.
“Pretty cool, no?” Funky was obviously proud. “Guess I can let you borrow it for a while. There’s plenty of places to go looking over there.” He waved vaguely across the water.
“Thanks, Funky. They can’t have gone too far.”
“Hey, you’ll find ’em. C’mon, hop in.”
Dixie and her new travelling companion did as they were told, and Funky showed them how to steer his latest pride and joy. “I’m workin’ on somethin’ else now,” he added. “Maybe I’ll catch up with you later, huh?”
“Okay,” Dixie agreed, checking that Kiddy wasn’t about to throw himself overboard. “We’ll see you then.”
“Yup. Good luck, guys.” Funky cast them off, the boat revved, and they were away.
Funky watched them go, wondering how long the sudden peace and quiet would last. When the boat had shrunk to a dot on the horizon, he turned, picked up his spanner and flicked on the ghettoblaster as he got down to some serious work.